Let's Talk About Penetration!

Let’s talk about penetration!

OK, so when we apply creams to our skin we usually want them to treat something such as dry skin, wrinkles, open pores, blemishes etc. However, does your cream penetrate the skin and get down deep into layers where the active ingredients can do their work?

Our skin is amazing at protecting us from harmful substances found in the environment. Unfortunately we cannot tell our skin to turn off its protective barrier when we need penetration of active ingredients such as retinols found in some skin care creams. There is a reason why creams bought over the counter in shops and stores cannot penetrate into deeper layers, they are made that way. Cosmetic creams sold through such outlets are controlled to protect the public from substances that can alter skin cells such as DNA. Manufacturers will claim that their creams contain active ingredients such as retinols and they are quite correct to do so. However, because the particles they can use in their creams cannot be under a certain size, penetration is impossible. The creams will sit on top of the skin and at most feels nice.

So how can I get deep penetration?

A skin care specialist can advise on how you can prepare your skin and temporarily alter the skins protective barrier to enable that all important penetration to take place. When needing to treat certain skin conditions such as acne, blemishes or rosacea for example, a prescriptive or medigrade cream can be issued which may use nanoparticle technology or other effective delivery systems.

So don’t be shy, talking about penetration is important, especially if you want your skin care regime to actively work for you!